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Deconstruction is just Spiritual Puberty: And Why Many Churches Act As Puberty Blockers
By Steve on May 6, 2024
Deconstruction is just Spiritual Puberty by Beyond the Pale And Why Many Churches Act As Puberty Blockers Read on Substack I just became the father of a teenager (again) at the ripe old age of…
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When the Church looks like Downton Abbey!
By Steve on March 16, 2013
Any Downton Abbey fans out there? The hit show from Great Britain chronicling the lives of an aristocratic family as it collides with the 20th century has become the addiction d’ jour for my wife…
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Take a “Journey” this Lent Season!
By Steve on February 16, 2013
What special activity are you doing for Lent this year? As someone whose Christian faith was shaped by the early Jesus Movement of the 1970s, and later by independent Charismatic church life, the ritual of…
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You may need a little more Eucharist in your diet!
By Steve on October 29, 2012
Last week I was listening to Rob Bell being interviewed on the Homebrewed Christianity podcast. The interviewer, Bo Sanders, asked Rob a very interesting question. As many of you know Bell was pastor of the…
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Moneyball & Church
By Steve on October 28, 2012
I just returned from a week in China working with a charity project I’m involved in. The travel involved allowed me to finally watch the film Moneyball that has been on my iPad unwatched for…
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Why Young Evangelicals are going Liturgical
By Steve on September 26, 2012
I have a confession to make; I have been, and probably still am, a “sneaker.” Now, don’t look so surprised. There are a LOT of us and if you are a Beyond the Pale reader…
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Would the Roman Empire Persecute Today’s Church?
By Steve on June 26, 2012
A friend sent me an article recently from Relevant magazine asking some leading voices in the church whether Christians are doing social justice wrong. I lay in bed reading the article outloud to Tammy and…
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My Spring 2012 Reading List
By Steve on June 13, 2012
We’re into June and that means its time for a reading list update. If you’ve been following the blog at all you know I’ve been on roll reading books concerning Christianity, the church, theology etc….
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Christianity Without “Hooks”
By Steve on June 9, 2012
What if sharing Christianity came without hooks? What if “bait & switch” evangelistic tactics were scrapped all together? How does one introduce another to the Life Christ brings if we aren’t allowed to use a little well- intentioned manipulation occasionally?…
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Lady Gaga & The Church
By Steve on June 4, 2012
Lady Gaga came to Hong Kong and I wasn’t invited to go protest. Man…I am really outside the “in crowd” circle! Seriously though, one of the benefits of not hanging out with the fringe elements…